Since the 11th March 2007 it is illegal for manufacturers of lighters to produce lighters that are not child resistant.

From the 11th March 2008, it will be illegal to sell non child resistant disposable lighters and all novelty lighters in the EU.

This decision has been made in order to reduce the number of child fatalities and fire-related injuries.

The diagram below demonstrates the timescale for this legislation to take place:



What is covered?
The child-resistance legislation covers all disposable lighters, 98% of lighters sold in the EU each year.

Luxury, semi-luxury and utility lighters are excluded from the scope of this decision, but must comply with the general product safety requirements.

There is also a ban on the placing on the market any lighter which resembles objects that are especially appealing to children e.g. toys.

How is the Decision going to work?
At the request of the Member States’ competent authorities, manufacturers and importers will have to submit all relevant documents, including test reports on child-resistance. The test reports have to be issued by testing bodies that are accredited by a member of International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), or recognised by a Member State authority.

Test reports may also be issued by a testing body whose reports are accepted by countries where child-resistance requirements equivalent to those in the Decision are in force (such as the US).

Distributors will be required to cooperate with the competent authorities and provide them on request with the necessary documentation to trade the origin of the lighters they place on the market.

Extracts from a press release from the European Commission

Brussels, 9 February 2006
Child-resistant lighters: Commission gets go ahead to adopt new decision
Every year in the European Union, an estimated 34-40 people, often children, are killed in fires caused by young children playing with unsafe lighters, with extensive material damage.

In the US, only child-resistant disposable lighters have been allowed to be placed on the market since 1995. This has led to a 60% reduction in fires, injuries and deaths due to young children playing with lighters. Canada, Australia and New Zealand also require lighters to be child-resistant. Major European and Asian lighter producers have already been exporting child-resistant lighters for years to the US and the other countries which have legislation in place on child-resistant lighters. Production costs for adding a child-resistance device to a lighter are estimated to be between 1 and 5 euro cents per lighter.

Specific surveillance of the European market ahead
In order to ensure that the Decision and safety requirements for lighters are properly enforced, the Commission will be launching, together with EU Member States, a specific project to ensure adequate controls of lighters, including for imports. Official information of the European Commission is available within this PDF. European Decision